three-farthingsn.
In the literal sense: see farthing n. Also, money of the value of three farthings; hence the name of a silver coin of that value issued by Queen Elizabeth.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > money > medium of exchange or currency > coins collective > English coins > [noun] > coin of 3 or 4d
three-farthings1561
1561 Proclam. Elizabeth I 15 Nov. Because a halfpeny cannot be made of such finenesse to beare any conuenient bulke, an other small peece shall also be coyned of three farthynges..whiche..shalbe of meere fine starling syluer.
1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iii. i. 134 Remuneration, O that's the latine word for three-farthings . View more context for this quotation
1598 W. Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iii. i. 145 Threefarthing worth of Silke. View more context for this quotation
1616 B. Jonson Every Man in his Humor (rev. ed.) ii. i, in Wks. I. 20 He values me, at a crackt three-farthings, for ought I see.
1616 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Scornful Ladie iii. sig. F4 Whipt, and then cropt for washing out the roses, in three farthings to make vm pence.
1898 G. B. Rawlings Story Brit. Coinage 65 The threefarthings..was the least of all the coins having a rose behind the ear.
1898 G. B. Rawlings Story Brit. Coinage 65 The sixpence, threepence, threehalfpence, and threefarthings [of Q. Elizabeth], are distinguished by having a rose behind the head.
Derivatives
three-ˈfarthing adj. of the value of three farthings; hence, paltry, insignificant.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [adjective] > paltry, mean, or contemptible
unworthlyc1230
wretcha1250
seely1297
vilec1320
not worth a cress (kerse)1377
the value of a rushc1380
threadbarec1412
wretched1450
miserable?a1513
rascal1519
prettya1522
not worth a whistlea1529
pegrall1535
plack1539
pelting1540
scald1542
sleeveless1551
baggage1553
paltering1553
piddling1559
twopenny1560
paltry1565
rubbish1565
baggagely1573
pelfish1577
halfpenny1579
palting1579
baubling1581
three-halfpenny1581
pitiful1582
triobolar1585
squirting1589
not worth a lousea1592
hedge1596
cheap1597
peddling1597
dribbling1600
mean1600
rascally1600
three-farthingc1600
draughty1602
dilute1605
copper1609
peltry?a1610
threepenny1613
pelsy1631
pimping1640
triobolary1644
pigwidgeon1647
dustya1649
fiddling1652
puddlinga1653
insignificant1658
piteous1667
snotty1681
scrubbed1688
dishonourable1699
scrub1711
footy1720
fouty1722
rubbishing1731
chuck-farthing1748
rubbishy1753
shabby1753
scrubby1754
poxya1758
rubbishly1777
waff-like1808
trinkety1817
meanish1831
one-eyed1843
twiddling1844
measly1847
poking1850
picayunish1852
vild1853
picayune1856
snide1859
two-cent1859
rummagy1872
faddling1883
finicking1886
slushy1889
twopence halfpenny1890
jerk1893
pissy1922
crappy1928
two-bit1932
piddly1933
chickenshit1934
pissing1937
penny packet1943
farkakte1960
pony1964
gay1978
c1600 Timon (1980) iii. v. 51 Away, away thou poore three farthing Iacke.
1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Polit. Touch-stone (1674) 276 They had put to arbitriment the salvation of mens souls upon a three-farthing business.
1822 tr. Aristoph., Plutus 15 Do you suppose the despotism..would be worth a three-farthing piece, were you [Plutus] to recover?
1898 G. B. Rawlings Story Brit. Coinage 64 Two new denominations in silver are introduced in this [Elizabeth's] reign, namely, the threehalfpenny and threefarthing pieces.
1912 N.E.D. at Three-farthings Mod. A three-farthing bun.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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n.1561